Insight:
-What are the biggest things in your life that you are continuously grateful for?
-What would you like to feel grateful towards that you don’t currently have in your life at the moment?
-Can you look at some difficult or uncomfortable situations in your life and find gratitude in their purpose?

Exercise: Gratitude Walk
Take yourself outside of your normal patterns and places, go on a walk or a hike or a little adventure. Tune out of your mind and into the scenery, into your senses. Walk gently and with everything that catches your senses be grateful-“I am so grateful for the warm sun upon my face, the fresh breeze that shifts around air and fills my lungs, the sounds of the birds, my capable body for taking me here.” Be in utter, overwhelming gratitude for every single thing you pass by.

Exercise: 21 Days of Gratitude
It is said it takes on average 21 days to create (or lose) a habit. For the next three weeks, each morning when you first wake up, get in the habit of spending 5-10 minutes writing or recording three statements around topics that you feel deeply grateful for. In this exercise, it is not enough just to write or speak the words, it is more important to really feel the feelings of joy and gratitude. Notice the difference in saying “I’m grateful for water” versus “I’m so grateful for water! This means hot showers, cool hydration, and the beauty of rain, oceans and lakes” while visualising each sensation. Pure tribute drives tremendous positive change. Feeling them to the fullest extent is the purpose of the exercise. Writing them is powerful, speaking them aloud with conviction is even better.
As you do the daily work of this exercise, you will without a doubt begin to notice signs and synergies that amplify the things you feel grateful for. Before long, you will start to appreciate what you have before you even have them, because you will see how enjoying them in this vibration creates them to be. Try as hard as you can to continue this practice for at least 21 days, and see for yourself what happens!
Receive more insight and empowerment with the app-based development programme going in, at cocre.co/going-in

n The author can be contacted on Instagram @CoCre

]]>http://www2.gulf-times.com/story/626517/Exercise-an-Attitude-of-Gratitude
Thu, 21 Mar 2019 02:00:02 GMThttp://www.Gulf-Times.com/626517Food Life Lessons: Thanks Momimage/jpeg1000We learn a lot from our mothers, or motherly figures in our lives. The natural life lessons taught to us by moms from an early age plays a very important role in our development, our growth, and our well-being. From very young age, we look up to our mothers for guidance in just-about everything. We watch and learn, and much of what we absorb stays with us forever.
When I was a kid, my mom would frequently call me and my siblings into the kitchen — the beating heart of our home. She’d ask us to help her prepare dishes, and assign us a small job, perhaps to mix a bowl, or (carefully) whisk ingredients. As a result, we were exposed to food in its purest form from a very young age. We’d touch, feel and smell ingredients prior to them being used in a dish for that evening’s dinner. We would try certain vegetables for the first time and treat it like a monumental challenge we had been given, pulling faces and always claiming “it’s disgusting!” — before eating more. We’d learn the names of what was in our kitchen, and begin to develop opinions, likes and dislikes towards certain food items.
Looking back, it makes me realise how important these subtle, innocent moments in our kitchen were, in shaping my relationship with food. With my mum’s guidance, I was unknowingly forming my relationship with various foods for the first time in my life, and developing an understanding of the ingredients I was consuming each breakfast, lunch and dinner.
In the modern world, we’re less ‘hands on’ than ever before. It’s why I remain appreciative to my mother for ensuring that I did have ‘hands on’ time with food during my childhood. As kitchens have hot stoves, boiling water and sharp knives, it is pretty understandable why parents don’t want their children nearby. But studies suggest that (as with my experience) involving children in meal preparation is an important first step in getting them to try new foods, or better understand what they’re eating.
Researchers at Columbia University studied how cooking with a child affects the child’s eating habits. Researchers found that children who had been involved in cooking their food were more likely to eat those.
On this Mothers Day 2019, let us take a moment to appreciate the life lessons we’re taught by our mothers — many of which stay with us throughout our daily lives.
I personally believe in the power of our own hands, and that when you put energy into making your own food, the food receives healing energy that no one can give it except you. I’m ‘hands on’ with food today, just like I was in those moments with my mom in the kitchen.

* The author is an expert in vegan wellbeing and health. Instagram handle: @Ghanim92 ]]>http://www2.gulf-times.com/story/626516/Food-Life-Lessons-Thanks-Mom
Thu, 21 Mar 2019 01:57:02 GMThttp://www.Gulf-Times.com/626516Mom your Mindimage/jpeg1000I often find myself puzzled at the irony of my expansive, often boastful, self-knowledge, with no real effort utilising that information for self-care. I know myself better than anyone could physically or cognitively know me, yet I struggle to indulge in matters of my mental well-being with the same passion as my mother does. If my personal well-being was a course, my maternal unit would be gracing the assignments with excellent effort grades, while my average grades stared guiltily at the floor. On this occasion of celebrating motherhood, I invite puzzled students to take notes on how to ‘Mom your Mind’.
Under the millennial pretense, “I always have to be productive”, I overload my day with numerous tasks, filling daily planners with ambitious schedules and pretty squares that remain unticked at dusk. I’ve grown accustomed to my mother’s concerned cheer, ‘Slow down’, as I tackle the day’s agenda like a footballer playing a 1 on 11 game. At burnout, it’s coach mom that tells me off with research to back up her claims. The mind tricks us into believing it can hold more information, yet research shows that our short-term working memory is extremely limited. Studies reveal that at one time, the brain can hold only 7 pieces of information in its maximum capacity.
Therefore, emphasising the point that looking busy to show off our skills isn’t the same as focusing to get the work done. To slow down doesn’t mean to reduce pace, on the contrary, it means to prioritise that daily list and focus in a realistic manner. We might reward our minds for achieving that huge list of tasks, but in reality it can’t possibly process all that information effectively at the speed we want it to. Getting those top three priority tasks ticked off my list with a steady mind, would make my mother a lot more content than tirelessly scoring ten tasks in the same breath.
Motherhood consistently proves that caring for one’s child isn’t necessarily giving them what they want or what they like, but offering them what is unquestionably good for them. And it is this crucial lesson, we must learn from our mothers and apply to the nurturing of our minds. Multi-tasking, though considered a trend to be acknowledged in this generation, is not as healthy as we think it is for our brains. Cognitive psychologists have found that switching between tasks causes the brain to drain energy and resources on small shifts. One study showed that it took approximately 23 minutes and 15 seconds to focus attention on another task after ONE interruption. And we all can shamefully agree that interruptions while attending to tasks are usually in the double digits- so you can do the math. The brain, exactly like a child, enjoys this dopamine-addiction feedback loop and convinces you to reward yourself for losing focus. It’s these areas of our brain, that help us focus and also get easily distracted, that we need to train. In my experience, receiving praise from my mother after consistently focusing on one task, for a longer period of time, is more fulfilling than waiting for a pat on the back every two minutes.
There are innumerable ways in which mothers show their love, and it’s the unconditionality of this love that keeps it strong. It’s time I showered my mind with this same unconditionality. To allow it to sleep when it’s exhausted (even if it is a 30-minute nap), to reward it when it needs it and not when it bullies me into it, to check on the load I feed it and the costs of overworking it and mostly, to make this self-care a daily practice. I promise to Mom my Mind; what about you?

* The author can be contacted on Instagram @sincerelysanah]]>http://www2.gulf-times.com/story/626515/Mom-your-Mind
Thu, 21 Mar 2019 01:55:40 GMThttp://www.Gulf-Times.com/626515Energy speaks louder than wordsimage/jpeg1000Have you ever noticed that it’s possible to be introduced to someone’s energy before you actually meet him or her? It’s just the feeling you get when they enter a room, it’s that something that precedes them. I believe our energy is our greatest source of power, I like to refer to it as ‘personal power’.
When you operate or vibrate on a high frequency with loving energy, you can be sure to receive that energy reflected right back to you. On the flip side, when you vibrate at a low level, you become an energetic magnet for scenarios that are also vibrating at that level. Therefore, it’s so important to learn how to take responsibility for your own energy.
Personal power lies in our ability to be in control of our energy at any time no matter the circumstances we find ourselves in, to ‘own’ our energy. It might sound impossible, but changing your energetic vibration is much easier than you think.
When we function from a doubtful, fearful, low-level energetic state, our vibes can literally disrupt the world. But when we function from a place of positive energy, the world around us becomes a more positive place. I make it a point to check in with myself regularly “What is the energy that I’m sending out at this very moment? And how is my energy affecting the people I come in contact with?”
We all know how much our words and actions affect the people we interact with, but what we may not realise is how much our energy affects them. In fact, your energy affects everything in your life, because your energetic vibration attracts its likeness. For example, if you want to find new friends, you’ve got to bring high vibes when you go to social events or if you want to achieve a dream it’s a must to bring high vibes when you bring your thoughts to it. I also make a point to set my intention to protect my energy. In my mind, I say, “I set my intention right now to be loving, to be kind and to be joyful. I am a fountain, not a drainer. I’m also not a sponge. I am not going to absorb the negative energy of others.”
This is especially important if you’re going to be entering a space with someone who has low level energy or someone who is constantly negative or pessimistic.
Setting that intention immediately creates an invisible shield. It doesn’t necessarily mean you have a negative attitude, it simply means you are protecting yourself.
Protecting your energy will help you stay positive, aligned and happy, and you’ll still be loving, kind and happy and send out an intention of trust to the world. Once you tap into your personal power and learn how to command your energetic vibration, trust me, you’ll start to notice changes in your life. People will want to be around you, they’ll feel elevated by your presence. You’ll be more vibrant in all ways, even smiley and glowy.
You’ll also feel the change; you’ll feel energised, joyful, more inspired and more creative. Try it, I dare you, raise your vibes and tell me about the results.

* The author is a consultant and coach. Instagram handle: @miss_shefa, Website: missshefa.com]]>http://www2.gulf-times.com/story/626514/Energy-speaks-louder-than-words
Thu, 21 Mar 2019 01:53:06 GMThttp://www.Gulf-Times.com/626514Eight children killed or injured every day, despite Yemen truce: UNimage/jpeg1000The UN human rights chief warned yesterday that children in Yemen continued to be killed and maimed at an alarming rate, despite a three-month-old truce in a vital port.“Since the Stockholm agreement on December 13, it is estimated that eight children have been killed or injured in Yemen every day,” Michelle Bachelet told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.Yemen’s beleaguered Saudi-backed government and Houthi rebels agreed in Sweden on a truce that included a ceasefire in Hodeidah, the lifeline port on the Red Sea.But Bachelet said children were currently living in 31 active conflict zones across the country, and witnessing “heavy, war-related violence”, including in Taiz, Hajjah and Saada.The Norwegian Refugee Council said earlier this week that 348 civilians had been killed in Hajjah and Taiz alone since the Stockholm accord was signed.The UN rights chief voiced particular concern at the recent escalation in the northern province of Hajjah, where 22 people — 12 children and 10 women — were killed, and another 30, nearly half of them children, were hurt in strikes earlier this month.An estimated 10,000 people have been killed since March 2015, when Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — with the logistical and political backing of the United States — unleashed air power against the Houthi rebels.Rights groups say the death toll could be far higher. Save the Children has estimated that 85,000 Yemenis under five years old may have died of starvation.Bachelet said it was unclear how many children had starved to death in Yemen but warned that “Yemeni civilians, including children, are now more vulnerable and hungrier than at any time since March 2015”.]]>http://www2.gulf-times.com/story/626513/Eight-children-killed-or-injured-every-day-despite
Thu, 21 Mar 2019 01:44:13 GMThttp://www.Gulf-Times.com/626513Understanding mothersimage/jpeg1000Many of us associate mothers with an archetypal female that only finds satisfaction in taking care of others. They neglect their own needs by placing the needs of others before them — the ever forgiving, devoted individuals who are ready to sacrifice it all for the sake of their family and children. The idea of a perfect mother is entrenched deep in our minds, and this ideal is just one of the many factors that shape our relationship with mothers as much as it shapes the way women view themselves and build their own relationships.
Even when a mother is struggling with a mental issue, her instinct is to ignore the problem and carry on as usual — often by putting up a facade, because her mental and physical well-being is at the core of a functioning household. Panic and disorder ensues in a home where mothers fall sick, with the husbands and children struggling with what to eat and random pieces of clothes suddenly disappearing before our eyes.
There are some women who learn to cope with these issues with the help of a strong support system, but then there are also those who begin experiencing mood swings. In this case, behavioural pattern of mothers change as they start to appear sad, difficult to please and begin complaining about random pains and aches. These are the early telltale signs of a mental health issue that can range from stress, depression or a bipolar disorder among a more serious range of issues. But the reality is that as much as it is difficult for women to admit and disclose their struggles, it is equally hard for families to cope with them because of the general lack of awareness as well as the stigma attached with psychological disorders.
Doha-based psychiatrist Dr Madhu Pahwa says that many women in Qatar suffer from a wide range of mental illnesses.
“There is a general prevalence of depression, anxiety, and then there are patients with post-partum depression and obsessive compulsive disorders to name a few among other mental illnesses,” she explained.
Madhu specialises in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental illness for all ages, and said that although she sees patients of all age groups frequently checking in to the clinic, there are two peak ages that stand out for women.
“We see two peaks in terms of age, women in their mid-30s to those in their early 50s. I would say 25 to 32 is one peak while 50s is another we see at the clinic often, but these issues are rampant throughout and it’s hard to say that one kind of mental illness is more prevalent among a certain age group.”
Asked if she can identify factors that may trigger psychological disorders in her patients, Madhu asserted that there were many, including genetic vulnerability.
“We have to understand that there are external and internal factors at play. There are direct biological factors that cause mental illnesses. It’s not just about having bad in-laws, or an unco-operative family. Science and research shows that it doesn’t always work like that. There are cognitive factors, personal factors, genetics, as well as society and the environment. Different cases come in with different scenarios.”
Among her patients, the veteran psychiatrist has seen many mothers struggling. She recalled one recent case of a mother who was struggling with a series of issues in her personal life that led to deteriorating state of mental well-being.
“It was a series of struggles. The couple was first suffering from infertility, they had IVF, and then there were other repercussions afterwards.”
The women in this case had twins, and suddenly she had to take care of not one but two children simultaneously, while also resigning from work that placed the family under a financial strain. Here was a couple that was at first struggling to have children. But things took a completely different turn when they had the one thing they wanted the most in life.
“The lady had to let go of her job, and so they faced financial struggles. The husband was very demanding and controlling. The care needed for the mother was not present nor was the husband physically present to take care of the children. On top of that, there were high expectations from the mother, and it affected the lady tremendously,” she explained.
When the family approached Madhu, she carried out a series of tests, including blood investigation, and thereafter, necessary measures were taken to ensure the family was given the help they needed.
“We brought the husband into the support system, we had CBT (cognitive-behavioural therapy), clear cut guidelines were given, and touchwood there was significant improvement and the lady is doing well now.”

Many of us associate mothers with an archetypal female that only finds satisfaction in taking care of others. They neglect their own needs by placing the needs of others before them — the ever forgiving, devoted individuals who are ready to sacrifice it all for the sake of their family and children. The idea of a perfect mother is entrenched deep in our minds, and this ideal is just one of the many factors that shape our relationship with mothers as much as it shapes the way women view themselves and build their own relationships.
Even when a mother is struggling with a mental issue, her instinct is to ignore the problem and carry on as usual — often by putting up a facade, because her mental and physical well-being is at the core of a functioning household. Panic and disorder ensues in a home where mothers fall sick, with the husbands and children struggling with what to eat and random pieces of clothes suddenly disappearing before our eyes.
There are some women who learn to cope with these issues with the help of a strong support system, but then there are also those who begin experiencing mood swings. In this case, behavioural pattern of mothers change as they start to appear sad, difficult to please and begin complaining about random pains and aches. These are the early telltale signs of a mental health issue that can range from stress, depression or a bipolar disorder among a more serious range of issues. But the reality is that as much as it is difficult for women to admit and disclose their struggles, it is equally hard for families to cope with them because of the general lack of awareness as well as the stigma attached with psychological disorders.
Doha-based psychiatrist Dr Madhu Pahwa says that many women in Qatar suffer from a wide range of mental illnesses.
“There is a general prevalence of depression, anxiety, and then there are patients with post-partum depression and obsessive compulsive disorders to name a few among other mental illnesses,” she explained.
Madhu specialises in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental illness for all ages, and said that although she sees patients of all age groups frequently checking in to the clinic, there are two peak ages that stand out for women.
“We see two peaks in terms of age, women in their mid-30s to those in their early 50s. I would say 25 to 32 is one peak while 50s is another we see at the clinic often, but these issues are rampant throughout and it’s hard to say that one kind of mental illness is more prevalent among a certain age group.”
Asked if she can identify factors that may trigger psychological disorders in her patients, Madhu asserted that there were many, including genetic vulnerability.
“We have to understand that there are external and internal factors at play. There are direct biological factors that cause mental illnesses. It’s not just about having bad in-laws, or an unco-operative family. Science and research shows that it doesn’t always work like that. There are cognitive factors, personal factors, genetics, as well as society and the environment. Different cases come in with different scenarios.”
Among her patients, the veteran psychiatrist has seen many mothers struggling. She recalled one recent case of a mother who was struggling with a series of issues in her personal life that led to deteriorating state of mental well-being.
“It was a series of struggles. The couple was first suffering from infertility, they had IVF, and then there were other repercussions afterwards.”
The women in this case had twins, and suddenly she had to take care of not one but two children simultaneously, while also resigning from work that placed the family under a financial strain. Here was a couple that was at first struggling to have children. But things took a completely different turn when they had the one thing they wanted the most in life.
“The lady had to let go of her job, and so they faced financial struggles. The husband was very demanding and controlling. The care needed for the mother was not present nor was the husband physically present to take care of the children. On top of that, there were high expectations from the mother, and it affected the lady tremendously,” she explained.
When the family approached Madhu, she carried out a series of tests, including blood investigation, and thereafter, necessary measures were taken to ensure the family was given the help they needed.
“We brought the husband into the support system, we had CBT (cognitive-behavioural therapy), clear cut guidelines were given, and touchwood there was significant improvement and the lady is doing well now.”]]>http://www2.gulf-times.com/story/626512/Understanding-mothers
Thu, 21 Mar 2019 01:44:09 GMThttp://www.Gulf-Times.com/626512Annual Qafco, Tamuq conclave sheds light on functional materialsimage/jpeg1000Texas A&M University at Qatar (Tamuq) and the Qatar Fertiliser Company (Qafco) co-hosted their annual day-long symposium featuring prominent chemists and chemical engineers who shared the latest advances in their fields. The 2019 Qafco – Tamuq Conference was the 11th in the series and focused on functional materials. The conference highlighted the pressing need for government, industry and academia to work together to develop new knowledge and create scientific solutions that have direct impact on the world around us. Qafco CAO, Dr Hamed al-Marwani described the event as a key platform in bringing together research, engineers, scientists and the business world. “The conference consistently manages to highlight trending topics in the field of chemical engineering, which opens a dialogue to bridge the gap between industry and academia. The 2019 conference was extremely intriguing, and I hope that all attendees found the discussions inspiring.”The 2019 conference focused on functional materials, which have certain desirable properties and functions of their own, such as ferroelectricity, piezoelectricity, magnetism or energy storage functions. These materials are of critical importance in energy applications and can help Qatar as it addresses its research challenges. The conference featured keynote speaker Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, the JC Warner University professor of natural sciences at the Carnegie Mellon University. Matyjaszewski discovered a polymerisation process that was commercialised in 2004 in the US, Japan and Europe. He has been co-author of more than 1,000 publications and holds 62 US patents. He is a member of the US National Academy of Engineering and the US National Academy of Inventors. Other speakers were from Korea, Germany and the UK. The event also provided a forum for the exchange of ideas and opportunities for future collaborations, said Tamuq dean Dr Cesar Octavio Malave.“Part of the mission of our branch campus is to be a valued and essential resource to Qatar,” Malave said. “We work to fulfil this mission in part by hosting conferences such as this one to encourage knowledge sharing and to build bridges with other researchers and research institutions around the world through international collaborations.”]]>http://www2.gulf-times.com/story/626511/Annual-Qafco-Tamuq-conclave-sheds-light-on-functio
Thu, 21 Mar 2019 01:42:31 GMThttp://www.Gulf-Times.com/626511Odissi dance performance at Sheraton Doha todayimage/jpeg1000An Odissi dance performance by Rina Jana & Group is being organised by the Indian embassy at Al Majlis Hall, Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel, at 6.45pm today, while another performance will take place tomorrow at the Qatar International Food Festival at Oxygen Park (Education City) as part of the Qatar-India 2019 Year of Culture.Odissi is an ancient Indian classical dance form that originated in Odisha, a state in Eastern India. It is traditionally a part of the dance-drama genre of performing arts. One of the most characteristic features of Odissi dance is the Tribhangi, where the body is bent in three parts like neck, torso and the knee and is considered one of the most graceful positions. The performances are composed and choreographed by Guru Rina Jana, who is a veteran artiste and one of the frontline exponents of Odissi. She was trained under the tutelage of Padma Vibhushan Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra and Padma Shri Sanjukta Panigrahi.“In all the items, the music is sweet and melodious, pure and classical,” the embassy has said in a statement. The troupe consists of five dancers and six musicians and the performance consists of six items: an invocation called ‘Mangalacharana’, primarily expressing gratitude; ‘Dashavatar’, a celebration of the triumph of good over evil; ‘Basanta Pallavi’ welcomes spring, a pleasing season with its blossoms, fragrance-filled breeze and colourfulness dear to all; ‘Abhinaya I & II’ encompasses expressional dance to communicate a story or enacting a song that speaks about love; and ‘Moksha’, the concluding item, wherein the performers depict its importance, which literally means salvation or emancipation.The embassy has invited all friends and well-wishers to join for an evening of Odissi dance.]]>http://www2.gulf-times.com/story/626510/Odissi-dance-performance-at-Sheraton-Doha-today
Thu, 21 Mar 2019 01:41:31 GMThttp://www.Gulf-Times.com/626510Qatar asks IAEA to intervene over ‘threat’ posed by UAE nuclear plantimage/jpeg1000Qatar has called on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to intervene in a dispute over a $24bn nuclear power plant which the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is building.Relations between Qatar and its neighbour are already strained after the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain severed diplomatic, trade and transport ties with Doha in June 2017 over allegations that it supports terrorism, a charge Qatar denies.In a letter to the IAEA, which was seen by Reuters, Qatar says the Barakah plant poses a serious threat to regional stability and the environment and calls for a framework to ensure the safe operation of nuclear energy in the Gulf.Qatar said that a radioactive plume from an accidental discharge could reach its capital Doha in five to 13 hours and a radiation leak would have a devastating effect on the region’s water supply because of its reliance on desalination plants.“Qatar believes that the lack of any international co-operation with neighbouring states regarding disaster planning, health and safety and the protection of the environment pose a serious threat to the stability of the region and its environment,” the letter from Qatar’s Foreign Affairs ministry to IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said.Qatar also said that the technology is relatively untested as there is only one other commercial reactor of this type in operation in South Korea. The UAE said yesterday that its nuclear energy programme conforms to IAEA standards and international best practices.“The United Arab Emirates...adheres to its commitment to the highest standards of nuclear safety, security and non-proliferation,” Hamad al-Kaabi, UAE Permanent Representative to the IAEA, said in a statement to Reuters.He added that Barakah, the Arab world’s first nuclear plant which was originally set to come online in 2017, was now expected to begin operation by 2020.The IAEA, a Vienna-based organisation which is the world’s top nuclear safety authority, declined to comment on exchanges with its member states.Qatar said regional concerns about nuclear safety will be amplified when the Saudi Arabian civil nuclear programme comes on stream. The Kingdom has invited bids from the world’s top nuclear firms to build reactors.The UAE’s Nawah Energy Company said in May 2018 that Barakah, the world’s largest nuclear plant under construction, should start operations between end 2019 and early 2020.Barakah is being built by Korea Electric Power Corp (Kepco), but problems with training enough local staff have delayed the startup of its first reactor several times and in November Nawah signed a deal with French utility EDF to operate the plant.Since the 1986 Chernobyl accident, when a Russian-design reactor in Ukraine spread radiation over large parts of Europe, the potential cross-border impact of nuclear accidents has led to several disputes between neighbours. Earlier this month, the Barakah plant’s owner Emirates Nuclear Energy Corp (ENEC) said voids had been discovered in the concrete of reactors 2 and 3, although it said these posed no safety risk and would not delay the start-up.The repair works on the third reactor were due to be completed by the end of last year, while the UAE’s FANR regulator reviews plans to repair smaller voids in unit 2.

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Thu, 21 Mar 2019 01:40:23 GMThttp://www.Gulf-Times.com/626509Mom: the quintessential museimage/jpeg1000Whilst in Qatar and some other countries in the world celebrating motherhood is a spring tradition, our other friends around the world wait until May to honour their mothers. Our social media feed is swarming today with tributes to mothers, grandmothers and expecting mamas. How about you? Have you gotten your Mom some flowers or a cute little present yet and showered her with the love she deserves. After all, she took care of you from birth to, well, now… and can you imagine a life without her?
Like mother, like daughter they say. The unique relationship between a mother and daughter is, of course, intricate and ever evolving. Some of us are dependent on that maternal figure from birth, relying on our mother for unceasing and permanent guidance and support, be it mental, emotional or professional. It remains the same even if you get married, move to another place or stay with her, forever and after. Many daughters one day actually realise, that in fact they’ve picked up many traits and habits of the figure they’ve been idealising forever their life, that they form their mother’s mirror image and for sure all of them takes pride in it.
From her sense of humour, to her covetable style, to just how much she loves them – these Qatari fashion finest have many reasons to love their mothers. Well, mothers, be proud because these young buds have all grown up and blossomed into bona fide style icons and they accredit you for their success.
Community asked these powerhouse trend setters to reflect on how their moms shaped their lives and careers. Where Yasmin Mansour filled her mother’s dream of becoming a fashion designer, Hissa Haddad followed her mother’s footsteps and glamorous approach to fashion.
What is consistent: When it comes to fashion, moms are the best muses.
Even if you spent your teenage years locked in your bathroom in an act of Manic Panic-fuelled rebellion, there’s no denying that your first fashion hero is usually your mother. Isn’t she? Yasmin and Hissa tell us.

Yasmin Masour

It won’t be erroneous to say that Yasmin has become one of the most-talked-about and sought-after luxury fashion name coming out of Qatar since her first collection, launched in 2014. Yasmin says, “My mom has always been my inspiration and muse. When I was 10 years old and even younger than that I used to go to her closet and steal her heels, jackets, dresses and coats and try them on. I always used to observe what she’s wearing at night and dressing up in, in the morning. She has always been about details, carrying so many colours, perfumes and jewellery. She told me that she loved art and used to draw when she was young. Well, even created some pieces for herself back then. That is something that pushed me to go for this field. My mother got me my first sewing machine!”
Yasmin adds, “When I turned 18 and went on to pursue designing as my major, she supported me like anything. Even during my university time, I used to share all my designs and work with her. I remember when I made my first dress in the school and how she told me that she’s proud of me.”
“She always says me that I’ve done something she always wanted to do when she was young. She says that I’m very happy that I always used to dream of having something like this and today my daughter did it.”
Hissa Haddad

Hissa, the 29-year-old engineer turned shoe designer, is the only Arab footwear designer that made her debut with a capsule collection at Paris Fashion Week 2017. Her breakout debut is only half the story of her success, the other, and more significant half is the fierce energy and motivation of her mother that has been her bedrock support in the struggling industry. “I have a very strong relationship with my mother. We share a sibling bond, rather than a typical mother-daughter sort of relationship. We go out together, travel together, enjoy each other’s company and share real secrets,” says Hissa.
Talking about her first exposure to fashion as a kid, Hissa says, “When I was a kid, my mother used to stitch my clothes herself. She used to take me to designers from a very young age and even sometimes used to draw and get some very specific stitchings done. She used to add pearls, roses, layers and crystals to my dresses, to make sure that my dresses are different from what’s out there. She always had a very delicate aesthetic taste. For shoes, she used to make sure I have each matching shoe to be paired with each dress, so she was very particular about all this.”
“When I started my business, she supported and believed in me throughout although other family members were against the idea that it might not do well, considering the competition in the market. I still remember, when I had my first meeting with the manufacturers in Italy, she was there with me. She always advised me to believe in my ownself.”
“The toughest period I had with my mom was when she was diagnosed with cancer. And that was just before I had started my Masters Degree. It was devastating and I had almost dropped my degree to spend time with her and be around her. But that’s when she said that if I quit my masters, she’s going to quit taking chemotherapy sessions. I used to travel back and forth between London and Doha to make sure that I’m holding her hand as she goes through the tough process. It was a tough journey for both of us and we’re happy that we both made it,” added Hissa. ]]>http://www2.gulf-times.com/story/626508/Mom-the-quintessential-muse
Thu, 21 Mar 2019 01:37:54 GMThttp://www.Gulf-Times.com/626508Battle for last IS enclave edges towards its endimage/jpeg1000The operation to take Islamic State’s last enclave in eastern Syria looked close to an end yesterday, with no sign of clashes as US-backed fighters said they were combing the area for hidden militants.Reuters reporters overlooking Baghouz from a hill on the bank of the Euphrates at the Iraqi border said the area was calm, and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militia searched for tunnels and landmines, an SDF official said.The SDF on Tuesday captured an encampment where the militants had been mounting a last defence of the tiny enclave, pushing diehard fighters onto a sliver of land at the Euphrates riverside.There was no immediate update from the SDF yesterday on the fate of these remaining militants.A group of women and children were seen being evacuated from the Baghouz area.Islamic State’s defeat at Baghouz would end its territorial control over the third of Syria and Iraq it held in 2014 as it sought to carve out a huge caliphate in the region.While it would represent a significant milestone in Syria’s eight-year-old war and in the battle against Islamic State, the militant group remains a threat.Some of the group’s fighters remain holed up in the central Syrian desert and others have gone underground in Iraqi cities to wage an insurgent campaign to destabilise the government.For the SDF, it would cap a four-year military campaign in which its fighters drove Islamic State from swathes of northeastern Syria with the help of a US-led coalition, taking the city of Raqqa after a months-long battle in 2017.The group was also forced into retreat by numerous other local and foreign forces roused by its public displays of bloodletting and the attacks it plotted abroad. Its enclave at Baghouz was the last part of the massive territory it suddenly seized in 2014, straddling swathes of Iraq and Syria, where its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared a new caliphate.His fate, along with other Islamic State leaders, is not known, though the United States has said it believes him to be in Iraq.The group’s supporters in Baghouz faced months of siege, pounded by coalition air strikes. Over the past two months, some 60,000 people poured out of the shrinking IS territory. About half of that number were civilians, the SDF has said, including some Islamic State victims such as enslaved women from Iraq’s Yazidi religious community. The others were the group’s supporters including about 5,000 fighters.In recent days, as the enclave shrank, the SDF said hundreds more of them started to surrender, or were captured trying to escape. Most of those who left were moved to displacement camps in northeast Syria.The fighters were detained, but the SDF has urged foreign countries to take back their citizens, causing a dilemma for some Western states who see them as a threat.]]>http://www2.gulf-times.com/story/626507/Battle-for-last-IS-enclave-edges-towards-its-end
Thu, 21 Mar 2019 01:37:13 GMThttp://www.Gulf-Times.com/626507‘World full of adventures’ promises to wow visitors at Aspire Wonderland Festivalimage/jpeg1000Aspire Zone Foundation (AZF) has announced that it is gearing up to host a new themed festival around the shores of Aspire’s lake.Titled Aspire Wonderland Festival, the event is scheduled to take place from March 26 to March 30.“As the sun sets, Aspire Wonderland Festival will astonish AZF’s visitors as it will feature animated fantasy characters. It will entail an imaginary gateway to the world of fantasy and folk tales with the use of state-of-the-art lighting techniques. Adults’ childhood memories will be revived, and kids will be awed by their favourite characters,” AZF said in a press statement.The festival will feature “an authentic mix” of folk tales from the Middle East and the West, as 3D designs will adorn Aspire’s lake with characters such as Aladdin, Pinocchio, Peter Pan and Cinderella.In addition, the event will use advanced light and sound techniques to transform Aspire Park into a fantasy world.Also, Aspire’s lake will see a water fountain transform Aspire park “into a majestic world with music”, the statement adds.The festival will be open to the public daily from 5pm to 10pm.The event is sponsored by Vodafone Qatar.]]>http://www2.gulf-times.com/story/626506/World-full-of-adventures-promises-to-wow-visitors-
Thu, 21 Mar 2019 01:35:46 GMThttp://www.Gulf-Times.com/626506Doha Bank announces winners of 10th Al Dana savings scheme drawimage/jpeg1000Doha Bank has announced the winners of its 10th Al Dana savings scheme draw of 2018, “further strengthening its efforts to encourage personal savings”. Forty-five of the bank’s customers took home prizes worth QR195,000, including 1mn Doha Miles, following the raffle draw, which was held at Doha Bank Tower in the presence of VIP invitees and members of the bank’s senior management.Winning the grand prize, F A al-Hamar walked away with 1mn Doha Miles, and A E al-Maalouf won QR100,000.A M al-Mannai emerged as the Ladies Draw winner, while A S Shajra and F R Abualrub scooped the Young Saver and Senior Citizen draws, each taking home QR5,000.Dr R Seetharaman, Group CEO of Doha Bank, said: “At Doha Bank, we are excited to announce the winners of our latest Al Dana saving scheme draw and I would like to congratulate them on their achievement. The most rewarding banking product in Qatar signifies our unrelenting commitment to incentivise customers to save money to secure their future and contribute to the prosperity and well-being of the community. We will continue to seek new ways to foster a culture of saving among our citizens and residents alike.” Al Dana Savings and Current accounts enable Doha Bank’s customers to stand a chance to win prizes as they save for a rainy day, the bank has said in a statement.The saving scheme features “the country’s biggest prize pool”, which includes a mega-prize of QR2mn. Al Dana account holders can enter quarterly millionaire draws and monthly draws to win a range of rewards with a minimum account balance of QR5,000.In addition, Al Dana savings account holders benefit from immediate pre-approved loans of up to 90% of the initial amount deposited, a free international debit card and online, SMS and mobile banking services.Customers can also enjoy the convenience of managing their utility bill payments through their Al Dana accounts, transferring funds between multiple accounts and to third parties, and sending money overseas at competitive exchange rates, the statement adds.

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Thu, 21 Mar 2019 01:34:54 GMThttp://www.Gulf-Times.com/626505Major funding needed to dealwith cyclone aftermath: UNimage/jpeg1000The United Nations said yesterday it will be seeking a “large” amount of funding from member-states to help deal with the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Idai.“This may be one of the worst natural disasters to hit southern Africa in living memory and so we will need to do quite a lot,” UN spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters at UN headquarters in New York.Five days after tropical cyclone Idai cut a swath through Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi, the confirmed death toll stood at more than 300 and hundreds of thousands of lives were at risk, officials said.“We do not know yet the scale of damage to make a precise estimate of what kind of numbers we are looking at but it will be large,” said Haq.“We are trying our best to inform the international community to expect that we need to do quite a lot.”The United Nations on Tuesday released $20mn from its emergency response fund as agencies raced to help hundreds of thousands of people at risk.Meanwhile, aid workers raced to help survivors and meet spiralling humanitarian needs in the three countries.Mozambique, where the monster storm made landfall early last Friday, is reeling.“We’ve thousands of people...in roofs and trees waiting for rescue,” Caroline Haga, spokeswoman for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said.“We are running out of time. People have been waiting for rescue for more than three days now,” she told AFP in the storm-ravaged coastal city of Beira.“Yesterday we rescued some 167 people from trees and roofs. Today we’ll continue that. Unfortunately we can’t pick up all the people, so our priority are children, pregnant women, injured people.”In the Buzi district of Beira, scores of survivors stood perilously on a church rooftop and on terraces of a basketball pitch, surrounded by dirty brown flood waters.Some turned to harvesting rainfall rather than have to drink the mucky waters around them.Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi on Tuesday said 202 people had died, according to the latest toll, and nearly 350,000 people were risk.In Zimbabwe, the death toll stood at 100 yesterday but was expected to surge to 300, while up to 15,000 people are estimated to have been hit by the storm.In Malawi, nearly a million people have been affected and more than 80,000 forced from their homes, according to the UN.Aid agencies said they were prepared for the cyclone, but not for the massive floods that followed.Mozambique bore the brunt from rivers that flow downstream from its neighbours.“No one was prepared for the floods. The cyclone caused torrential rains in Zimbabwe and Malawi and all the water came here,” said Haga.“Two rivers have overflown and there is flooding, we have several metres of high water,” said Haga.Beira airport which was partially damaged by the storm and temporarily shut, had reopened to become the relief operations hub but is proving not large enough.Air force personnel from Mozambique and South Africa have been drafted in to fly rescue missions and distribute aid which can only be airlifted as roads out of Beira have been destroyed.The UN World Food Programme (WFP) started dispatching more than five tonnes of emergency provisions to the affected areas, but warned the world had yet to appreciate the scale of the “massive disaster”.It is targeting some 600,000 people “in the coming weeks,” spokesman Herve Verhoosel said.“I don’t think that the world (has) realised yet the scale of the problem.”A government worker who asked not be identified spoke from a roadside after he was rescued by boat in Nhamatanda, some 60km northwest of Beira, saying “this is the first time our generation has seen something like this”.In Zimbabwe, at least 217 people are listed as missing in Chimanimani in Manicaland, an eastern province which borders Mozambique.The district remains cut off after roads were swallowed by massive sinkholes and bridges were ripped to pieces by flash floods, leaving a landscape that Defence Minister Perrance Shiri said “resembles the aftermath of a full-scale war”.]]>http://www2.gulf-times.com/story/626504/Major-funding-needed-to-dealwith-cyclone-aftermath
Thu, 21 Mar 2019 01:34:19 GMThttp://www.Gulf-Times.com/626504Medical City intersection to be shut for 13 hoursimage/jpeg1000The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has announced that it will implement a temporary closure at the Medical City intersection (also known as the Bin Omran intersection) on the main lanes of the four sides of the intersection.The closure will last for 13 hours — from midnight today until after noon tomorrow, Ashghal has said in a statement. The closure will be carried out in co-ordination with the General Directorate of Traffic.Traffic heading towards the Medical City intersection from all four sides can turn right only and use the next intersection, as shown on the attached map.The temporary closure is being implemented with the aim of completing the installation of new traffic signal utilities at the Medical City intersection.This comes as part of the development works implemented at intersections and roundabouts in various part of Doha, which aim to enhance the flow of traffic and reduce congestion in vital areas, the statement notes.Ashghal has said it will install road signs advising motorists of the closure and requested all road users to abide by the speed limit and follow the road signs to ensure their safety.